Air freshening or deodorizing has long been sought by consumers, in both residential and commercial environments. Due to the wide variety of odors which are generated, the desire to reduce or eliminate offensive odors has long existed along with the desire to provide a long-lasting pleasing odor.
In an attempt to meet the demand for air fresheners or deodorizers, numerous products have been developed and are presently available in the marketplace. In general, these prior art products are sold as solids, liquids, or aerosol sprays to provide the desired air freshening or deodorizing effect. Typically, these prior art products are used to eliminate, chemically change, or mask an existing odor. In addition, these products typically work by absorbing odorous molecules, dissolving or emulsifying such molecules, or killing bacteria that causes the offensive odor.
Although substantial effort has been expended in providing various delivery systems for establishing a pleasant odor in areas or environments in which offensive odors continuously exist, no fully satisfactory delivery system has been attained which is capable of providing long-term deodorizing or air freshening. In particular, such prior art systems as spray deodorants are capable of providing only temporary relief in freshening the air or eliminating the undesirable odors. Once the product has been sprayed into the air, the odor-changing spray quickly dissipates, providing only temporary or transitory relief. This limited benefit is particularly true in environments where heating or cooling is provided by forced air flow, since the air flow further increases air turbulence, causing the air freshening spray to dissipate more rapidly.
Similar short term beneficial effects are also attained with the liquid and solid air freshening products which are capable of only providing limited distribution of the deodorizer or air freshener and often become depleted of any beneficial effect over a short duration. Consequently, these products have only been capable of realizing limited acceptance and use.
Prior art systems typically range from simple dispensers containing the air freshening material to more complex, delivery systems constructed for decorative or designer effects. Unfortunately, such decorative effects cause such products to be substantially more expensive, with the ability of these products to deliver long-term continuous air freshening or deodorizing not being enhanced.
One prior art system employs a multi-layered flexible package for use in association with vacuum cleaners in order to provide air freshening or deodorizing during the vacuuming operation. However, these products are typically not capable of being employed in other environments and are unable to provide long-lasting, continuous, dependable air freshening or deodorizing due to the use of sponge material as the fragrance carrier. As a result, these prior art products lacked versatility and broad-based usability.
Another prior art system attempts to achieve greater fragrance distribution by using electricity to heat the dispenser. Although greater fragrance distribution is attained over solid, non-heated dispensers, these prior art systems are extremely expensive and provide only a very limited, moderate improvement.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a fully integrated, air freshening and/or deodorizing system which provides a highly concentrated, readily dispersible air freshening/deodorizing composition which is capable of providing long-term, delivery of the desired fragrance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which provides a fully integrated, leak-free container system with a fragrance holding and dispersing system which assures continuous, complete and controlled dispersion of the fragrance only when desired by the user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which incorporates odor absorbing material which removes unwanted odors from the ambient air in order to provide the desired air freshening or deodorizing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is capable of providing an easily employable, variable opening system for enabling the user to control the amount of fragrance being dispersed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is capable of being easily positioned in a wide variety of locations, previously unattainable, due to the overall construction of the system of the present invention.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is capable of being easily employed in both residential and commercial establishments for providing long-term air freshening and/or deodorizing throughout the entire building or zone within which the system is employed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is easily employed in air conditioning and heating ducts or other heat delivering systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is safe for use with children as well as constructed in a system which virtually eliminates any possibility of unwanted use or contact by children.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air freshening/deodorizing system having the characteristic features described above which is able to cooperate with all conventional heating and cooling systems to circulate the desired fragrance or the ambient air without requiring mounted engagement with electrical outlets.
Other and more specific objects will be in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.